Iranian Journal of Psychiatry
Volume:3 Issue: 3, Summer 2008

The influence of cholinergic drugs on lithium-induced statedependent learning has been investigated in adult male mice. A single-trial step-down inhibitory avoidance task was selected. The drugs used in the study were lithium chloride physostigmine, nicotine hydrogen tartrate and scopolamine hydrobromide, atropine sulphate. The drugs were administrated through the peritoneal route. Control animals received saline or respective vehicle for nicotine. Ten animals were used in each experimental group. on day 1 or training session, the animals being trained in the step-down inhibitory avoidance task, and then immediately received post-training treatment of lithium or atropine or scopolamine. On day 2 or testing session, the animals firstly received pre-test administration of drugs (for nicotine 30 min, for lithium 45 min and for cholinergic antagonists 60 min before the test), and then were tested for step-down latency.The results showed that post-training and pre-test intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of lithium (10 mg/kg) induced state-dependent learning. In addition, pre-test administration of an anticholinesterase, physostigmine (0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg, i.p.) and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist, nicotine (0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg) could substitute for pre-test lithium. Pre-test coadministration of an ineffective dose of physostigmine (0.1 mg/kg) but not nicotine (0.01 mg/kg), with lower doses of lithium (2.5 and 5 mg/kg) potentiated the effect of the latter drug on step-down latency. Post-training administration of a nonselective antagonist of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, atropine, decreased the step-down latency, but pre-test administration of the same dose of the drug and also lithium, could not reverse the decrease of step-down latency. On the other hand, pre-test atropine at higher doses (0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg) disrupted lithium-induced statedependent learning. On the contrary, the decrease of step-down latency due to post-training administration of another nonselective muscarinic antagonist, scopolamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) reversed by pre-test administration of not only the same dose of the drug, but also lithium (10 mg/kg). Interestingly, pre-test administration of scopolamine (1 mg/kg) also reversed the decrease of stepdown latency induced by post-training lithium (10 mg/kg). cholinergic system(s) may be involved in the lithium-induced state- dependent learning and the involvement of muscarinic receptors is more possible than nicotinic ones.

in recent years different hypotheses with respect to the formation of cerebral laterality were proposed. Some of the researchers claim that cerebral dominance and laterality are determined by genetic factors, just as the case with eye color and blood type. However, another group states that in addition to genetic factors, environmental factors, too, have a remarkable role in hemispheric dominance and lateral dominance. Hence, the present research was designed to study the relationship between 1- lateral dominance and birth season 2- lateral dominance and gender. 1355 (girls and boys) fifth graders from the 19 educational regions of Tehran were selected using multi stage cluster sampling in the 2003-2004 school year. Coren lateral preference and personal information questionnaire were applied. The following results were obtained at the level of ل=0. 05 and probability of 95%. There were significant association between lateral dominance and birth season, between lateral dominance and gender, between ambidexterity and birth season, between non-genetic sinistrality and birth season, between dexterality and gender, between ambidexterity and gender, between genetic sinistrality and gender. There were no significant associations between dexterality and birth season, genetic sinistrality and birth season, between non-genetic sinistrality and gender. The gestational environmental factors can have significant effect on the formation of lateral dominance and cerebral laterality.

The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the combination of paid employment promotes or challenges the quality of life of married employed and unemployed women in Iran. The samples consisted of 250 married employed women (175 professionals and 75 non-professionals) and 250 married unemployed. Stratified convenience sampling technique was used for the selection of the sample. One demographic sheet and the Persian version of World Health Organization -Quality of Life (IRQOL) were chosen for collection of data. SPSS was used for analyzing data. professional employed and unemployed women differed significantly on quality of life, physical health, and psychological health. Professional employed and unemployed women did not differ significantly on two of the subscales of quality of life, social relationship and environment. Professional employed women were found to be significantly higher on quality of life, physical health, psychological health, social relationship, and environment than non-professional women. Non-professional employed women were found to be significantly lower on quality of life, social relationship, and environment than unemployed women. Non- professional employed women did not differ significantly on physical health and psychological health than unemployed women. The present study clearly evinces that employment status per se is not important. In other words, employment for women does not always ensure good quality of life. Status and level of works is important factor for creation the positive consequences of work in women.

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of different psychiatric disorders among 12 to 17 years old adolescents in urban areas of Tehran. In this study, 1105 adolescents (12 -17 years old) were selected from 250 clusters of the entire 22 municipality areas of Tehran using a multistage sampling method. After responding to the Farsi version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire self-report version, the Farsi version of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia - Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL) was administered to 273 adolescents and their families. The prevalence of adolescent psychiatric disorders was determined using the results of K-SADS-PL. There were not any statistically significant differences between the sexes in the frequency of psychiatric disorders except for ADHD which was observed more frequently in boys. The most prevalent psychiatric disorders were attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder, depressive disorders and separation anxiety disorder. The frequency of psychiatric disorders among the adolescents in Tehran''s urban areas was comparable to the reports from other countries. However, using methods to deal with missing data makes these prevalence rates somehow higher

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a common psychosomatic disorder and about 30%-50% of women in the childbearing age suffer from mild to moderate form of this disorder and 3%-8% suffer from its sever form. The symptoms of this disorder are related to the specific biological characteristics of women''s reproductive age that can start from teen years. The symptoms'' devastating effect on these crucial years of life can result in a sense of dissatisfaction and inadequacy. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and quality of life (QOL) in adolescent girls. This research is a descriptive-analytic study. The participants were 360 adolescent girls (180 in each group), studying in the second year of high school in south of Tehran. The participants were selected in a multistage randomly- clustered design according to their schools. Respondents completed the demographic questionnaire, premenstrual syndrome symptom daily record scale, and the medical study short form-36 (SF-36). Compared with healthy adolescents, those with PMS had a lower score of SF-36 in all the scales (P<0.001). Except for mental health and vitality, no significant difference was observed between other scales of quality of life according to SF-36 in various severities of PMS (P>0.05). However, a statistically meaningful difference was observed in mental health and vitality of SF-36 in severe form of PMS in compare to mild and moderate PMS P=0.002). Premenstrual syndrome is associated with substantial burden on QOL in adolescents. In addition, increasing severity in PMS symptoms results in decreased quality of mental health and vitality.

The present study aimed to explore the relationship between worry and obsessive compulsive symptoms. We examined the correlations between the Padua Inventory (PI) and the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) to further explore the distinctiveness of the PI.Seventy-five subjects (n=40 male, n= 35 female) were selected from Hafez Hospital (Iran) for this study: the subjects included twenty-five patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), 25 with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and 25 normal participants. The PI and PSWQ were used in order to measure the obsessive beliefs and worry.Results indicated a significant correlation between the PI scores and worry. The Results of the Kruskal-Wallis test showed that the PI scores were able to differentiate OCD and GAD patients from normal people, however, it failed to differentiate between OCD and GAD patients. In addition, when the worry scores were controlled, the PI scores were able to differentiate between OCD and GAD patients. The PI appears to be a useful measure for differentiating OCD patients and nonclinical OCD cases from normal people. However, its usefulness in differentiating between OCD patients and patients with anxiety disorder (GAD) has not been supported by our findings

The Forgivingness questionnaire has been designed to assessforgivingness in a variety of cultural contexts. This questionnaire was based on common Western conceptualizations of forgiveness. In Western communities, when one is the victim of an intentional offense, a feeling of resentment seems logical. The intensity and duration of this feeling of resentment usually depends on the circumstances of the offense, the attitude of the offender and the personality of the victim. This study explored the factor structure of forgiveness in an Iranian sample and the relationship between forgiveness and mental health among the Iranian participants. Two hundred ninety two university students participated in this study. The Forgivingness Questionnaire and General Health Questionnaire were used The forgivingness items indicated Cronbach''s alpha of. 94 for the total scale. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the raw data for the whole sample. Using the scree test, three interpretable factors emerged that accounted for %66.34 of the variance. Correlation coefficients between FQ and GHQ (r = -0.59, p< 0.01). Conclsusion:Our results were consistent with what had been obtained in several European and Asian samples. However, they were different from the findings of Kadiangandu et al., who reported two factors in their Congo sample: revenge versus forgiveness and personal and social circumstances

Non-compliance is one of the major problems in treatment of patients with schizophrenia. It is also the most significant risk factor for relapse and re-hospitalization. Previous studies showed that 25-70% of all patients with schizophrenia have negative attitudes to drugs. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the relationship between drug attitude and discharge and the rate of re-hospitalization in patients with schizophrenia. This cohort study was carried out on 200 hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI) was completed for all the patients at the time of discharge. All patients were followed-up for one year for ehospitalization. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between drug attitude and specific risk factors. The Mean age of patients was 37.34±10.74 years. Positive and negative drug attitudes were 68%.5 and 27% respectively. The rate of rehospitalization was 41.5% during the one year follow-up. The rate of negative attitude was not significantly different between the two groups with and without re-hospitalization. However, the mean DAI score was significantly lower in the re-hospitalized patients. Multivariate analysis showed that lower DAI score and being female were significant and independent risk factors for re-hospitalization.The more negative attitude the patients with schizophrenia had towards drugs, the more rate of re-hospitalization they had. Moreover, female patients are at higher risk for re-hospitalization.